Israeli soldier suspended after hitting protester with gun

The Israeli military has said that it has suspended a senior military officer
who was filmed assaulting an unarmed protester demonstrating against Israeli
occupation policies in the West Bank.

8:36PM BST 16 Apr 2012

In the video, Lieutenant Colonel Shalom Eisner can be seen hitting a Danish activist in the face with his M-16 rifle.

"When we walked toward the soldiers the commander pulled out his rifle and was using immediate brutal violence against me and against two women who were beaten to the ground and taken to the hospital in Jericho," said the activist, a 20-year-old man from Denmark who gave his name as Andreas.

He asked for his real name not to be used, fearing retribution from Israeli authorities.

The activist said he required stitches to his lip from the blow.

Israel said the group of about 200 activists was attempting to block a main highway and had provoked the soldiers.